


24 - Secret Injury

by VickeyStar



Series: Whumptober 2019 [24]
Category: Magnum P.I. (TV 2018)
Genre: Dementia, Juliet Higgins Whump, Thomas and the others are awesome, Whumptober 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-24
Updated: 2019-10-24
Packaged: 2021-01-14 16:27:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21156509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VickeyStar/pseuds/VickeyStar
Summary: Heads up, these symptoms of dementia could be completely off or described in a less-than-accurate way, there are many different kinds of dementia that can affect different people in many ways. If you do not feel alright with reading about someone with dementia, then this might not be the story for you :)





	24 - Secret Injury

**Author's Note:**

> Heads up, these symptoms of dementia could be completely off or described in a less-than-accurate way, there are many different kinds of dementia that can affect different people in many ways. If you do not feel alright with reading about someone with dementia, then this might not be the story for you :)

She refuses Thomas’s offer, but not for the reason he thinks.

~*~

Juliet lets them all believe that she’s going to Europe for a week to interview with MI6, not technically lying, but also not telling the truth as she schedules meetings with the leading experts of dementia studies, discussing treatment plans and percentages.

“You may want to prepare for in-patient treatment, Ms. Higgins. It’s entirely your decision, but judging by the MRI, the last treatment didn’t work as well as we had hoped. I expect you to start showing some of the more visible symptoms within the month.”

She nods.

“And what symptoms would those be?”

Her doctor frowns, listing them off.

“Insomnia, hallucinations, drowsiness, memory loss, and some others. I can prescribe you some medicine that may help keep them manageable, as well as get you a comprehensive list of Hawaiian caretaking hospitals and symptoms.”

Higgins purses her lips.

“Please do, thank you.”

She flies back home with three new pill bottles, as well as two lists that burn a hole in her suit pocket.

~*~

Thomas is actually _begging_ her.

She lifts an eyebrow as he mentions the weather, keeping him informed of exactly how much begging is occurring as he does, unable to tell him anything else.

“It’s much better here than in England.”

She finally sighs, putting her hands on her forehead as he plays around in her office.

“I’m not going to England.”

He perks up like a puppy.

“You’re gonna be my partner?”

She hates herself.

“No.”

He frowns, more confused than anything else as he studies her.

“Why not?”

She goes back to typing, ignoring his gaze as she does a background check on one of his clients.

“I’m busy.”

He scoffs.

“Bullshit.”

She lifts an eyebrow at him, this time, seeing his no-nonsense expression as he stares her down.

Juliet simply shrugs, going back to work on her laptop.

“Well, it’s the answer I’m giving you, so I’m afraid you’ll just have to accept it.”

Thomas frowns, about to continue the argument, but she’s quick to distract him with an update on his case.

~*~

She’s forgotten what she’s doing.

Juliet looks around her office, frowning at the afternoon light as she turns her laptop back on.

Ah, yes.

The document she’s been working on all day, only one page done because she simply hasn’t been able to concentrate.

She frowns.

Pulls up the list of the later stages of dementia.

_Memory Problems _

_Inability to Concentrate_

Double check.

She leaves her office, brushing past a concerned Magnum as she makes her way to her bedroom for the night.

~*~

It isn’t the first time she’s wandered the grounds in the middle of the night, but it is the first time she doesn’t remember leaving the mansion.

“Higgins?” Rick calls out to her on his way to the gate.

She turns toward the voice, seeing him and T.C. on their way out as they divert to meet her.

“You okay?”

She doesn’t know if she can speak, simply deciding to nod and smile.

“You sure?” T.C. asks, picking up on her confused panic.

She takes a breath, preparing herself.

“Yes.”

It’s a bit harsh and absolutely forced, but she said it.

Juliet abruptly turns and walks away before they can continue the conversation.

She’s not surprised when Thomas checks in on her later, Juliet falling asleep on the couch in the office.

~*~

She hasn’t been eating much, and nobody has noticed.

Until Thomas does.

Juliet doesn’t notice it herself, as he shows up in her office once a week with a small salad or some shrimp for her to snack on during lunch while he nags her for a favor.

When she does, she doesn’t complain.

~*~

She wakes up on the couch, curled up and unable to move.

She’s noticed this in smaller ways, but never a full-body malfunction.

“Juliet? You okay?” Thomas asks from the doorway of the office.

She doesn’t want him to know about her little problem, her body simply refusing to cooperate with her as she begs it to move.

“Yeah, I’m alright.” She tries to say, but it comes out garbled as he approaches.

She meets his eyes and he sighs.

“You can’t move, can you?”

She sighs.

“C’mere.”

He picks her up in his arms, walking out of the office and past the others, who are gathered in the living room, heading to her bedroom.

“Call the number I sent you last week.” He shouts over his shoulder when they ask questions.

He carries her to her bedroom, putting her in her bed and actually tucking her in as Rick follows with his phone pressed to his ear as he tells Thomas to get some towels.

Kumu and T.C. come in a bit later, the older woman with soup as T.C. simply holds Juliet’s limp hand.

“I found your list.” Thomas answers her silent question, frowning. “You forgot to shut your computer down, a couple weeks ago. I went to your office cuz I saw the light, and the list was pulled up.”

He shrugs, glancing at his friends as they move around the room, Rick blocking out the sunset as he plugs in some soft night lights.

“I did some snooping, and we all figured out what was going on pretty quick.”

Juliet finds the ability to nod has been recovered, and so she does.

The four mobile people in the room give barely-hidden sighs of relief.

“We all got certified as caretakers last week, as well as Katsumoto and a couple others. It’s part of the requirements for the staff, although we haven’t told them about the dementia.” T.C. explains, shrugging as she glances his way. She can feel his thumb rubbing gentle strokes over the back of her hand, his own relaxed position making her relax as she slowly feels her body start to respond to her mind’s commands.

“Get some rest, Jules. We’ve got you.” Rick assures her, smiling gently as she senses Thomas get in the bed next to her.

The two of them maneuver her so she’s leaning against him a bit, one hand gripping T.C.’s like a lifeline as her enlightened Ohana surrounds her.

edn


End file.
